VI Labs Modern U [Falcon]

Modern times call for a modern virtual piano: Highly detailed and intimate, clean and crisp, a new piano sampled with the finest gear in a modern space, able to shine or blend in as desired. A realistic precise response using any controller, plus sophisticated controls and presets with tweakability rarely seen in a virtual piano. High res graphics, deep sampling and scripting but easy on the system. We’re happy to introduce the Modern U, sampled from a brand new popular studio upright piano with a modern approach. It’s just an upright you say. Why sample an upright instead of a grand? Prepare to be amazed.

We love uprights too, and the Modern U is sampled and treated with the same level of care and extreme detail as we’d give to the finest concert grand library. Uprights have traditionally been a compromise over the more desirable grands, but for many situations their unique character just can’t be beat. The large studio uprights, or ‘upright grands’, are a perfect balance in qualities of both piano types. With the line blurred between upright and grand, it’s easy to ignore the distinction and simply enjoy this great piano. Crystal clear hammer attacks, six microphones, unique Sordino soft pedal, Muted Strikes, staccato Release Trails, real Resonance and many other features all bring this modern upright to life. If the usual piano tones are too usual and it’s time for the unique, the Modern U may be the one. This is truly a pianist’s virtual piano.

The Modern U is sampled from a brand new Yamaha© U3 studio upright piano. The newer model should be noted in that this includes the maker’s latest design with a warmer singing tone while still being clear and articulate, plus the hammers are new and everything is to original specification. This piano model could be considered an ‘upright grand’ with its long bass strings and soundboard area similar to that of a medium-sized grand piano. While it is a large upright, it’s still an upright with the characteristic sound but with a larger bass and longer sustain than smaller uprights.

With any acoustic piano sample, the recording space can impact the sound as much as anything else. For a clean modern sound, we needed an intimate detailed studio space just big enough for the piano to fill out and still be focused enough to record a pin drop from every mic. The piano was expertly tuned and maintained by a concert technician throughout the session, and the resulting samples are extraordinarily clean and pure with some sustains lasting well over a minute. Multiple microphone perspectives capture every nuance of this piano in this room.